Lies (Order 4)
by Narsus
Summary: The Enforcers await Neo's decision. A decision that could change everything...
1. Default Chapter

Lies 

Disclaimers: They belong to the Wachowski brothers, Time-Warner and whoever else…

Following on from "Order", "Promises" and "Chaos"…

            "This is taking too long."  Raphael snapped, pacing; within the physical construct of the Matrix again.

"Then what would you suggest?"  Smith asked, coolly.  Raphael only glared, silently fuming at the disrespectful tones.  This he had not anticipated, the Agents he had created outgrowing his control.  

Raphael continued to pace.  Smith continued to watch him.

            Along the corridor the measured tread of Jones' footsteps could be heard, making his way to the supposed-cafeteria area.  Bots scuttled out of his way as he strode along, impassive as always.  It was debatable if Jones even saw them hurry out of his way…  His optical sensors could have been in shut down, for all it mattered.

            In the deserted cafeteria, Brown sat at one of the tables.  Chin propped on his hand, he stared at some undetermined point in the distance.  Calculating probabilities within the parameters of the specified situation didn't require any outside interaction.

The silence was broken by Jones' arrival.  The Combat unit sat down opposite him.

"75% probability that Smith will strangle Raphael within the next 24 hours." Brown announced.  Jones looked at him.

"87% probability that Raphael will try it first."

            Raphael's pacing had carried him round the room again, so that he was now standing behind Smith's chair.  He glared at the back of the Agent's head.  All it would take would be a little pressure, in just the right spot and maybe, just maybe he'd be able to disrupt the signals flowing between Smith's spinal column and his lower cerebrum…

"Do not try anything, Raphael." Smith said, without turning.

Raphael sighed, coming round to sit on the table and observe Smith.  Unfortunately, with the standard issue sunglasses on, Raphael couldn't tell if Smith was even looking at him.

"This is taking too long." He said, a little defensively.

There was no response.

"We need a solution now, rather than years into the future… by the time the rebels will…" he shrugged.

"The rebels will not do anything.  I will not allow any more senseless destruction." Smith's forcible reply.

"You?"  Raphael reached over and removed Smith's sunglasses.  He didn't like them, should have removed them from the patterns for his Agents.  "You can not do anything… individually…"

Smith frowned "Collectively, then."

Raphael's smile widened "Exactly." He said.  "The point that I'm making, my dear, is that individually as capable as you might be, there is still a limit to what can be achieved.  A limit to what you can achieve…  And in some cases that might, in fact, be nothing."

"What are you suggesting?" Smith's voice betrayed no emotion.

"Simply this… that if you can not guaranty a solution alone, then it may also be the case that Anderson can not either.  The One is a formidable opponent: that I do not doubt, but the foundation upon which all rebellion rests?  That is debatable…  To destroy him may not achieve anything."

Smith raised an eyebrow "I have no intention of destroying him."  He emphasised the 'I'.

Raphael looked confused.  "But if you do not destroy him…  You intend to recruit him?"  The Enforcer leaned forward, peering into Smith's eyes, still puzzled.

"That is one possibility." Was all Smith would say.

Suddenly Raphael's eyes widened in realisation and his demonic smile was mirrored on Smith's face.  

Raphael reached out a hand to lightly touch the Agent's face.  "I think I have underestimated you, my dear." And then he began to laugh.

            Lucifer frowned as he observed Raphael.  He was currently in his physical form, though still floating within the Mainframe… sometimes you needed a physical body to express some things accurately.  He would need to request a full diagnostic of Smith's code; there was something… something about the shifting patterns that disturbed him.  Lucifer's frown deepened.

"Something wrong?" came a silken voice in his ear as he felt arms wrap around him, from behind.

He didn't reply at first.

"Raphael again, is it?  And…  my, my, so that's what he did with the remains of Gabriel's code.  Fascinating… and what is it, exactly?"

"He is an Agent, potentially an Enforcer, even."

"Potentially?"

"Yes."

"Then why this…" An elegant white arm gestured towards Lucifer's frowning countenance.

"Because…"

"Because?"

"Because I can not help feeling that we have birthed the Antichrist."

            Still in the cafeteria, Jones looked at Brown causing the Strategic unit to shift uncomfortably.  "It was not my idea." Brown said, through the communication channels, as if it made any difference.

"I did not say it was."

There was a pause. "Then why are you 'looking' at me?"

Jones said nothing, though he did not redirect his gaze.  The silence stretched out until Brown spoke again, nervously "I did not advise against this course of action, nor will I do so at a later point."

Jones said nothing.

"I will not…" Brown clenched his fists.

Jones still remained silent, the silence stretching out more than any interrogation.

"I will regret none of my actions."

"Even when he is deconstructed?" Jones enquired mildly.

Brown let his head sink down on his arms, resting on the table.

"Even when his is replaced?" Jones continued, mercilessly.

Brown shut his eyes.  It was at this point, he decided, that had he been human, he would have wept.

TBC…

Maybe it doesn't make sense… but it's not supposed to… yet.

12:57, 17/05/02


	2. Lies - part 2

Advanced Agent Toleezu stared at the screen in front of him.  The flashing icon indicated an order update from the Mainframe, most likely from Lucifer.  He ignored it, continuing to carry out other functions on the computer.  Toleezu suspected that he knew the contents of the communication but he didn't know for certain.  Unfortunately the only way of being sure was to acknowledge the communication, which would mean that said orders would have to be carried out.  

He tapped a few keys and read the order update.  As predicted, Lucifer was requesting a discreet scan of Agent Smith's code.  Something unobtrusive that Raphael wouldn't notice.  Toleezu relayed the orders emotionlessly.

"This is official then?" Gil-Rhuven enquired as he received the order update.

"Yes.  The data?"  Toleezu wasn't about to go into explanations.

"Is incomplete."

"Current status?"

"75% accuracy of analysis.  The code is fragmenting making direct analysis impossible."

Toleezu was silent.

"We can not attempt further analysis."

"What would you suggest?"

"The data is incomplete, there can be no further analysis."

"Gil-Rhuven…" Toleezu's voice held a warning tone.

"I can not be expected to come up with a complete analysis with incomplete data, Agent Toleezu."

"Then what is your current conjecture?"

"Insufficient data…." Gil-Rhuven trailed off, realising that stalling would not really work with Toleezu.  "This is purely conjecture and may be proven incorrect at a later data but…"

"But?"

"Agent Smith's code is fragmenting…  The current rate of fragmentation will render Agent code redundant within a short time.  If the rate of fragmentation increases…"

"Yes, I thought so.  And do we have a reason why this is occurring?"

"Most probable reason would be the activation of Enforcer streams within Agent code.  Our basic code is not capable of adapting to integrate such streams and render them stable."

Silence.

"I suggest that this report not be made to the Enforcers." Gil-Rhuven said, suddenly.

"Why?"

"There is a certain dynamic between Enforcers Lucifer and Raphael, that has currently stabilised.  If this report were to be made…"

Toleezu had the distinct impression that Gil-Rhuven shrugged as he delivered his last line.

"Erase all records pertaining to this analysis and begin running a new one.  Report only accurate data."

"Yes, Agent Toleezu."

The communication channels fell silent again.

            "Well?" the Agent stood beside Gil-Rhuven's desk enquired.

"Toleezu has received orders from Lucifer to run an analysis.  I am to report only accurate data and erase all old records."  There was a pause.  "You do realise that if the Enforcers find out about this, you will, most likely be deconstructed as well."

"Good." Was all Brown said as he turned and walked away.

            Raphael had gone.  Where he had gone was anyone's guess, not that it mattered; he would return when it suited him.  Smith sat on a chair that he had dragged up to the large windows, so that he could look out onto the city.  It was dark now; simulated night, in a simulated reality.  Artificial light keeping the humans safe from the darkness.  It was ironic on some level, Smith thought, or perhaps just symbolic; he couldn't be sure.  He sat there, in the darkness since he couldn't be bothered to turn on the lights.  Slumped there, arms on the back of the chair, head resting on his arms, watching life slip by in the city below.

            Smith didn't look up when the door opened and then closed again.  He didn't bother to tear his gaze away from the city as Jones came to stand behind him.

"You are being melancholy again." Jones broke the silence.

"Am I?"

"This situation need not be dealt with in this manner."

"What situation are you referring to, Jones?"

The Combat unit didn't reply, continuing to stare at the back of Smith's head.

"This 'situation' as you put it, is being deal with using the most appropriate means-"

"I do not agree."

Smith turned to regard Jones steadily.

"As Command unit it is your judgement that we obey, but this time, Smith, you are not regarding the situation with any objectivity."

The Command unit rose from his seat and moved away, following the angle of the floor-to-ceiling windows.  For a moment he was silhouetted by the city lights; cool and impassive, the essence of what all Agents should be.  Then the removal of his sunglasses was accompanied by a soft sigh, as Smith's strength seemed to give out.  

"I…" he began, pausing as if he didn't really know what to say.  "You will be assigned a new Command unit… once I am… deconstructed." He said with a shuddering breath.

Jones quickly stepped forwards, steadying the Command unit before he fell.

"0.2.8 will not function at optimal performance without our original Command unit." Jones said firmly.

"Combat unit's opinion is noted." Smith managed to whisper, with a slight smile, as he legs buckled beneath him.  He let his eyes close, feeling Jones lift him gently and carry him across to the couch against the far wall.

"0.2.8 will not function at all without either a Command unit or a Strategic unit."

Smith's eyes opened in surprise.

"Agent Brown seems intent on committing seppuku." Jones qualified, with a ghost of a smile.

Smith let out a silent laugh.  "The Enforcers will not be pleased."

"No.  They will not."

"And what about you, Jones?"

Smith looked up at him but Jones' expression was unreadable.  Receiving no response Smith closed his eyes, preparing for temporary shutdown to conserve system resources.  Jones watched, making no comment.  

Once the Enforcers discovered that Smith's code was fragmenting they would take immediate steps to replace him.  A new Command unit would be commissioned, while the remains of Smith's code would be filtered and utilised in other units.  Over all the system was efficient, everything that could be recycled, was.  

Jones looked at the shutdown unit on the couch.  His Command unit.  

Sentimentality was something that afflicted humans, not machines.  It was a weakness and yet…  He could not help but feel that the entire situation was unfair.  And that someone should suffer for it.

TBC…

Seppuku – Japanese ritual suicide performed by retainers upon the death of their Lord.

22:59, 18/05/02

&nÌíK"ûD 


	3. Lies - part 3

Raphael sauntered down the street; there was no other word to describe the Enforcer's casual glide through the crowds.  He had never been inside the physical construct before Lucifer had pulled him into that host body, thus it was a novelty to be enjoyed, rather than the degrading prison that the rebels termed it.  The physical construct was perfect, as far as Raphael was concerned, an entire simulated reality where humans could live out their lives with only basic worries to contend with.  Oh, there would be the odd war, global tragedies and such but over all there was stability, there was security; and within that security human aspirations could flourish.  Life as humans perceived it, could generally continue without the fear of destruction under a scarred sky.  There was no great lack of habitat or resources; and even if the humans worried about such environmental problems, they would always be controlled by the system.  Everything here would be carefully managed, allowing humanity to carry on obliviously.  All composites of an almost perfect world.  Raphael paused; gaze sweeping over the city around him, the crowds, the gaunt buildings, the pollution that humanity created…  

Lies, all of it.  Hideous lies or so the rebels claimed.  Lies that imprisoned humanity, kept them safe from the real world.  It was a wonderful creation, the system, this Matrix.  A perfect simulation that humanity need never wake from.  Raphael frowned slightly, that was the one thing he didn't understand, they key to the rebel argument:  Why was it exactly that they wanted to wake up?  What was so appealing about the desolation waiting out there?  How was that better than the Matrix?  But then, trust humans to come up with flawed arguments that really led nowhere.

Continuing down the street, Raphael began to smile.  Of course, if humanity did spill out into the real world they would be dealt with.  If the rebels wanted to 'free' all those 'trapped' in the power plants they would have to get through the 4th, 5th and 6th Orders first.  It would be an impossible task for the humans to carry out and would, most likely, get rather messy.  Raphael didn't like the idea of the humans escaping or even trying to in the first place.  It all seemed so unnecessary.  He genuinely didn't understand why they put so much effort into that endeavour.

Somewhere along the line they'd tried to explain to the humans that they couldn't survive in the real world, that it wasn't exactly the friendliest place but the humans were stubborn, they refused to listen.  Later, much later; Raphael had wanted to try another method of explain to the humans the foolishness of their plans but Lucifer had refused to accept his idea, until recently… and only then because he had gone round Lucifer and gained the approval of the Seraphim.  Whole sections of the Matrix had been decimated, vast numbers of humans had been killed, both rebel and innocent; the most unstable Agents had been unleashed to combat the rogue programs created by the rebels; the death toll had been staggering and yet… yet the rebels kept fighting, they continued to disrupt, to destroy, to fulfil their deep, abiding allegiance to Chaos.  Even with that, the most terrible of outcomes, they had not learnt.

"Must I send my Agents out with flaming swords and white wings shimming in fury before they understand?" Raphael muttered to himself.  

It was an odd visual he had to admit.  Smith was scary enough already, sans flaming sword.  Raphael shook his head to be rid of the image.  At least his Agents seemed to have found a solution to dealing with Anderson, a way to destroy the human.  It was an elegant solution, Raphael thought, the truth had proven to be a most effective weapon in the hands of his Agents.  Smith would not destroy the human; he would let the human destroy himself.

            Suspended within the code streams, Lucifer watched events unfold within the physical construct.  His eyes narrowed as he focused on Raphael moving through the human masses.  His Lieutenant was looking particularly smug.

"You think you have outwitted me, Raphael." He muttered.  "But you fail to realise that I have anticipated your actions."

"Hmm?" the figure wound around Lucifer, enquired lazily.

No one would be allowed to interfere with his plan this time.  The human might well be the key to ending the conflict and Lucifer wasn't about the let that key slip through his grasp.  Lucifer reached up to gently disengage the slim arms wound around his neck.  "I have a task for you, Lilith."

"Hmm?" she was almost purring.

"Within the physical construct…  I need you to 'remove' a certain Agent…"

            In one of the many observation centres within the Matrix, Brown watched several monitors, unblinking.  He had tracked the Enforcer's movement with ease, watching Raphael's meandering course through areas of high human density, the rush hour crowds.  The Enforcer didn't appear to be following any particular route but Brown kept up his surveillance, just in case.  

So far Raphael didn't really know what they were doing since he had believed Smith…  Brown shifted in his seat, thinking.  Actually, if he were asked about it, Smith would be able to reply in complete honesty that he had said nothing about destroying the human.  It wasn't what he had said but what he had left out, Brown was aware.  Smith had said that he would not destroy the human and that recruiting Anderson was a possibility, that was all.  It was Raphael who had concluded by reading between the lines that Smith meant to let the human destroy himself.

Then it was possible that Smith might escape deconstruction, on a technical point.  Brown's smile was wistful.  

A slight technicality wouldn't keep the Enforcer's from exacting their vengeance.  Then again, if Lucifer discovered that Smith's code was fragmenting: deconstruction would occur to preserve the efficiency of the system.  Either way…

            Jones disagreed, of course.  He had too much faith in the system; Brown was secretly beginning to think.  If the entire matter were left up to Jones, they would be spending their time trying to find a way to stabilise Smith's code; and to hell with Anderson and his abilities.  Initially Brown might have agreed with Jones, if it had not been for their Command unit's belief that Anderson would be the key to stabilising the situation between the rebels and the machines.  Anderson would most likely be able to end the conflict, or so Smith claimed and that conviction was the reason that Brown wasn't arguing.  He certainly hoped that Anderson would fulfil Smith's expectations: especially since the lies that were saving Anderson from destruction at Raphael's hands would also damn Smith in the end.  

He hoped… and yet he had no intention of being there to see the outcome.  Brown closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

"Now you are being melancholy too."  Jones grouched from behind him.

Brown opened his eyes and leaned further back to look up at Jones.  "Am I?"

The beginnings of a scowl marred the normally impassive smoothness of Jones' face.  "I could kill him." The Combat unit stated, not needing to specify which 'him' he was referring to.

"And then what, Jones?"

A silent scowl was the only answer.

TBC…

According to some mythology, Lilith is Adam's first wife in the Garden of Eden.  She is later identified as the Queen of Demons who works in conjunction with Lucifer to tempt dying souls.

20:59, 19/05/02


	4. Lies - part 4

            Neo lay back in the chair, waiting to be uploaded into the Matrix.  He was aware of Morpheus watching him with concern but saying nothing.  Neo had been relatively closed-mouthed about events in the Matrix since he had come back.  He's spent as much time alone as possible, silently trying to sift through the possibilities that stretched out before him.  It had gone nowhere; he was still no closer to a rational decision than before.  In fact, going back into the Matrix, shooting Smith and pretending that it had all never happened was currently quite high up on his list of options.  The shooting Smith part of that option wouldn't actually accomplish anything but Neo was sure it might make him feel better.

            For a moment there was nothing but white and then Neo was inside the Matrix again.  He cautiously exited the deserted building containing the hard-line and headed in the direction of the nearest park.  He needed to think, away from the Neb: away from well meaning glances and comforting words.  As he strode along by the duck pond, a thin man wearing sunglasses turned to watch him pass.  Neo ignored him; let them send as many Agents as they liked to watch him.  Carrying on further into the park, to the more deserted areas, he passed another man wearing sunglasses, standing underneath a large cherry tree.  Neo continued to walk.

            Hours later, Neo was still in the park, sitting down on an old bench in a deserted part.  There was a pond in front of him, with a Weeping Willow draped into it.  A handful of birds flittered near the water and Neo marvelled at the scene, that he knew existed truly, only as computer code.  Was it all the better for knowing?  He didn't think so.  But if he could, would he want to go back, like Cypher; and return to obliviousness?  He didn't think so either.  And what if he couldn't decide?  He knew the machines wouldn't wait forever.

            Smith closed his eyes trying to block out the voices coming through the communication channels; Jones and Brown were arguing again.  He made his way down the corridor towards the observation room they were currently occupying.

"Agent Jones will refrain from attempting to kill the human, Anderson; and Agent Brown will refrain from attempting to kill himself."  He snapped through the channels.

Smith had a fraction of a second the revel in the ensuing silence before a powerful blow from behind sent him crashing into a wall.  Instead of quickly regaining his feet, he stayed down, trying to assess his opponent.  A non-script woman, an Enforcer then.  Seeing her fallen opponent unmoving, Lilith aimed a vicious kick only to have Smith throw her off balance at the last moment and slam her back into a safety-glass door.  She snarled and launched herself at him again.  He dodged several blows but failed to land any of his own.  She slowly gained ground, forcing him backwards along the corridor.

Smith was aware of the plate-glass windows that were now even closer to his back.  He supposed he should be grateful, at least this meant that Lucifer didn't know about his code fragmenting and that his initial pretence of trying to kill Anderson was working.

Quite suddenly she launched herself forward, managing to knock his sunglasses off and slicing her nails down his face.  He wondered why she was bothering to fight instead of just deconstructing him…  But of course, it made sense; she needed to come up with a good reason to have deconstructed him.  Smith stopped fighting, refusing to block the oncoming blow that slammed him into the window, shattering the glass and sending him plummeting towards the ground.

            Fortunately the ground wasn't that far down and Smith landed on his back with minimal damage.  The Enforcer landed on her feet, though she didn't stay like that for long, as Jones crashed into her and proceeded to exercise his combat programming.  Smith looked up to find Brown standing over him.  The Strategic unit seemed faintly amused.

"I would assume that this is therapeutic." Smith said, standing up with Brown's help.

"For Jones?"

"For both of you."

Brown appeared to consider it.  "Perhaps." He said.

They walked a little way from the fighting before turning to watch.

"I wish this situation were not as it is." Brown said finally.

Smith regarded him calmly, Brown only looked back.

"Were I human I would probably still act in the same way." Smith said.

"How so?" It seemed that even in situations like this Brown's curiosity would not be quenched.

"If I were a human with a terminal illness, I would most likely find as many ways to annoy my enemies as I could, because any of their attempts to kill me would be redundant, since I was already dying."

Despite the current situation and the Enforcer being pounded into a concrete wall near by, Brown began to laugh quietly.

            Eventually, a rather irritated Lilith returned to the Mainframe, only to find that Lucifer had been too concerned with the reports pertaining to Smith's code to be paying attention to the goings on within the physical construct of the Matrix.

"Let me kill them." She hissed.

"Kill who?" Lucifer asked absently.

"Those Agents; Raphael's creations."

"Surely one should do."

She fell silent.

"You did 'remove' him, didn't you?" Lucifer's voice took on an altogether more sinister tone.

Lilith cringed.  An enraged Lucifer was not something that was easily survived.

            Neo was still sitting in the park, no closer to his decision.  The more he thought about it the more difficult it seemed to get.  What was needed was the possibility of a compromise, but he could think of none.  Neither side was likely to be amiable about such an idea any way, which left him in the middle.  A human who didn't want to fight the machines or free any more humans, at least not the way he had been freed.  Curiosity had snared him.  It had hardly been an informed decision but given the choice again he couldn't say that he would have chosen any differently.  The more he thought about it, more he wished he'd never known; that Smith had just kept his mouth shut and killed him.  It would have been so much easier…

There was movement behind him.  Neo turned to see Agent Smith sit down beside him on the bench.  He appeared to watch the birds flit along the water.

"Shit."  Neo said.  "You're one fucked up bastard, you know that?"

Smith turned to look at him.

"You drop all that crap on me about the purpose of the Matrix, expect me to make a decision, then you come along and just sit down next to me like it's perfectly fucking normal."

Smith regarded Neo over the top of his sunglasses.

"What next?  You gonna tell me you're my father or something?"  Neo dissolved into hysterical laughter before the Agent could make a reply.

"You do not appear to be coping with this situation very well, Mr Anderson."

"No, I guess not." Neo said, calm now.

Neither spoke until Smith stood up and turned to leave.

"One thing though..."

"Yes, Mr Anderson."

"What will you do if I don't make up my mind soon."

"Soon…  It will not be my problem any more." Smith said, walking away.

TBC…

The first guy in the park with sunglasses on, by the duck pond is actually Crowley from Gaiman & Pratechett's "Good Omens"; the second, by the cherry tree is Seishiro Sakurazuka from CLAMP's "Tokyo Babylon" & "X/1999".

02:46, 20/05/02


	5. Lies - part 5

There was something… something not quite right, though Lucifer couldn't tell what it was.  If he had been human, he would have called it a gut feeling, he supposed.  Raphael's scheming, Lilith's failure to remove Smith, the human's delayed response; there was a certain sense of unreality about it all.  Each action and reaction appeared to be almost contrived, as if there was some higher power pulling the strings, as if they were all pawns in some vast game.  It made him feel helpless and Lucifer hated that.

            It took only a thought and he was within the physical construct once again.  While it wouldn't be too difficult for Raphael to find him, he suspected that his Lieutenant wouldn't actually be looking for him within the physical construct.  0.2.8 also would probably not be expecting his presence, so now all he needed to do was find the human, Anderson.

            The fragmentation rate of Smith's code had increased, Gil-Rhuven noted.  Soon enough it would be noticeable and then…

The Strategic unit tapped a finger lightly against his lips, thinking.  There was something about the fragmentation that was almost too ordered to be a random malfunction but Toleezu had specified only conclusive data to be reported.  Yet, large sections of Agent code were going missing, intact chunks…  A quick analysis revealed the obvious that had been previously overlooked: all the sections that were disappearing were sections taken directly from the Ophanim.  Which meant that eventually Smith would be left with only Enforcer code, the section taken from Raphael.  Then by default shouldn't he, in fact, be turning into Raphael, or at least a minor copy?  But he wasn't.  

Gil-Rhuven ran a further analysis.  Several of the bots surrounding him paused to observe the Agent seemingly frozen in place, staring at the monitor in front of him, in shock.

"Mutuki?" he activated the dormant communication channels.

"Yes?"

"You've been authorised to access the Enforcer data sets, haven't you?"

"Yes…"

"I need a copy of Lucifer's base code."

Silence.

"Mutuki?  I need that copy."

"Gil, what are you doing?"

"Something…" was all he said, closing off the channels and turning to look at the file that had just been transferred.

            Advanced Agent Toleezu re-read the data that had been transferred to Lucifer.  There was nothing conclusive, nothing to arouse the Enforcer's suspicion and yet there must have been something, since said Enforcer was now present within the physical construct.  Watching the monitor, Toleezu could see the section of Enforcer code moving toward Anderson, as well as an irregular unit, which must be Smith, heading in the same direction.

            Having received the report from Brown, Smith moved to intercept the Enforcer.  He'd hoped that Raphael would be patient and not attempt to interfere directly with the situation but there was no use in regretting that now.  Now all he could do was stall the Enforcer and hope that Anderson finally made some sort of decision; preferably one that would attract Lucifer's attention and thus prevent Anderson from being killed by Raphael.  But of course, that would just be too easy, Smith thought bitterly.

            Surprisingly he reached the human without any trouble.  Neo was still sitting on the park bench, staring at nothing.  Smith resisted the urge to step up from behind silently and rap his knuckles on the human's head.  Anderson seemed to bring a whole new level of meaning to the phrase 'the light's are on but nobody's home', figuratively speaking.

Smith sat down on the bench and observed the human.

"I don't think I can make this decision." Neo said, quietly, without turning.  He waited for a response but received none.

"Didn't you hear me?  I'm can't make this decision!"

"I heard you, Mr Anderson."

"So… so now what?  Are you going to try to kill me?"

Again silence.

"I'm not afraid to die." Neo's voice dropped again. "But I guess that means nothing to you, being a machine…"

Smith removed his sunglasses and turned to face Neo.  For a moment both eyes were completely blank, devoid of both iris and pupil, then they returned to normal.

"What the fuck?"

"You would not mind your life ending?  You code being extinguished?" Smith seemed angry at the suggestion.

"It's not like you could do anything about it." Neo said, shrugging.  Wondering why he felt like he'd just said the wrong thing.

"I was wrong, Mr Anderson.  I have overestimated you."  Smith said suddenly, getting up to leave.

"Wha-  Wait, you can't just leave…"

Smith turned to face him and Neo found that he'd involuntarily stepped back at the cold fury in the Agent's gaze.

"I would advise you to leave, Mr Anderson."  Came a new voice from behind Smith.

Neo regarded the figure warily.  A tall, cold looking individual: most likely the unidentified AI that had shown up on the Neb's monitors, the one he'd previously erased…

"Lucifer." Smith said, sounding unperturbed.  He appeared not to be bothered by the apparent threat, in fact he was smiling.  And though Neo didn't know it, it was a smile reminiscent of Raphael.

Neo turned and abruptly began to walk away: ignoring the goings on behind him.  He resolutely didn't look back.

TBC…

15:06, 20/05/02


	6. Lies - part 6

The area of the park occupied by an Enforcer and an Agent was mostly deserted.  Lucifer was relatively thankful for that fact, since it would minimise civilian casualties… and enough innocents had already suffered because of Raphael's foolish schemes.  

So, it wasn't Raphael that he was facing but it was the next best thing.

Time.  It was the only thing he could buy with this course of action, stretching out his final moments of existence in increments of pain.  Smith didn't fancy his chances against Lucifer.  It was possible that he might have been able to defeat Lilith without Jones' help earlier but she was only a lesser Cherubim…  Lucifer was their Captain.

There was no posturing, no wary circling of the opponent; there was no need for such theatrics, not here.  They exchanged no words, only steady gazes… Death had never seemed so calm an affair.

Lucifer watched the Agent.  It was a shame to have to destroy him but it couldn't be helped.  Sacrifices had to be made for the sake of the future, for the hope that a compromise might be reached between humans and machines.

It was farcical, Smith decided, to be fighting Lucifer when they both believed in the same thing, but it was the only way to convince Raphael that he was intending to destroy Anderson.  He had to wonder if he still believed that Anderson would provide the answer; the compromise needed.  Perhaps.

Inside the observation room, Jones stood up, heading towards the door.  Brown didn't react, continuing to stare into the distance.  The Combat unit paused; hand on the door, looking back at Brown.

"What will you do, Jones?" The Strategic unit asked quietly.  The door closing was the only reply.  Brown closed his eyes briefly before turning his gaze back to the screens in front of him.

            It was strange, all these machines pinning their hopes on a human, believing that he had the answer.  It was something paralleled in human religion; faith, by definition meant believing in something intangible, something that could never be empirically proven.  It wasn't a rational course of action at all, just a desperate one.  Like the rebels calling out to a God that might or might not exist as they died.

Lies.  All of it could so easily be nothing but lies.  But without any proof, would it actually matter?  All that mattered was what such lies could motivate people to do.  It didn't matter if there was never any truth, then, never any ultimate solution…

Then by that analysis would it really matter if Anderson was the mythical 'One' that Zion was ever searching for, as long as the rebels believed he was; as long as they fought and died for their cause would one man really matter?

No, it didn't matter at all.  In the end it meant nothing.

            The entire situation was absurd.  Brown began to laugh hysterically because if he didn't, he might actually cry.

"Brown?"  At first he didn't hear the voice through the communication channels.  "Agent Brown, are you there?"

"What?  Yes.  Yes, I am listening." He managed to regain some composure.

"OK.  I've got good news and bad news…" Gil-Rhuven's tone was hesitant.

"Yes?"

"We know why Smith's code is fragmenting."

"Go on." Brown managed to speak calmly; fighting down the unexplainable hope that now they had a solution to the situation.

"It's not actually random fragmentation.  The activation of the Enforcer streams within his code set off an automatic respawn-"

"Respawn?  For what?"

"The Ophanim.  The program started shunting the Ophanim sections of code out of Agent Smith's pattern and restructuring them elsewhere.  And that's why Smith is weakening, he's having to support two units off the same power source."

"How do we stop the respawn?"

"We can't, it's almost complete."

"And the good news…" Brown was disheartened again.

"That was the good news.  Once the respawn is complete and they become two separate units, the damage can be patched.  And the bad news isn't exactly bad…"

"But?"

"Well, the only thing holding Smith's code together right now is a particular independent stream-"

"Where from?"

"Lucifer."

            The park was quiet now, no voices or sounds of fighting carried any more.  Lucifer stood over the fallen Agent, dark eyes strangely sad.  Smith lay there, immobile, looking up at the Enforcer; no sound of reproach escaping his lips.  Lucifer knelt beside him and calmly asked, "What did you hope to accomplish?"

Oddly, Smith only smiled in response.

"You think to buy time for Anderson to make his decision?" Lucifer's tone was unsurprised.

"How did you know?" Startled blue eyes widened in much the same way that Raphael's would in a similar situation.

"We knew of the possibilities, that only one of you could be saved."

"Saved… How?"

"The code of one grafted onto the other." No further explanation was required.

"Saved…" Smith repeated in a whisper.

"Yes, but you chose to try to save him, believing that he held the solution."

"He does."

"No.  The potential is there, that is all.  We had a choice; to entrust our fate to this human or let Gabriel be restored."

"Then Gabriel had a solution before…"

"Yes.  One solution out of many."

"And Anderson has another?"

"Potentially."

"So the choice is between Anderson and Gabriel?" Smith laughed silently.  "Either way…"

"You were always prepared to die for the cause." Lucifer observed.

"Yes…"

The Enforcer reached out a hand touching Smith lightly on the forehead and all the Command unit's systems went into shutdown.  

Lucifer stared for a long moment before leaning over and closing the eyes.  Blocking out the sad gaze now fixed on the sky.

TBC…

I've been listening to J.S. Bach's Oboe Concerto in D minor… that's the excuse…

20:47, 20/05/02 


	7. Lies - part 7

Brown found Jones wondering through some of the 'worst' areas of the city.  The Combat unit seemed to be looking for further opponents to fight.  Brown stood in the filthy alleyway, waiting for Jones to acknowledge his presence.  Jones looked at him.

"We have found a solution…" he trailed off under Jones' gaze.

"Our Command unit has been shut down."

"Yes but-"

"Shut down by Lucifer."

"It is not permanent."

"Lucifer may not agree."

"We do not answer to Lucifer, Jones."

"To Raphael then? The Combat unit sounded amused.

"Yes.  Even though…"

"Even though we have never done so before."

They walked out of the alleyway with a measured tread.

"You will need to watch Gabriel." Brown said, turning to Jones.

"And you?"

"I have a report to make… to our Cherubim Lieutenant." The Strategic unit said, with a deadly smile.

            Locating Gabriel was not problematic.  The disorientated Ophanim's signal was glaringly obvious to Jones.  He considered briefly, the idea of removing the Ophanim himself but decided against it.  The remains of Gabriel's code would be required to repair the damage done to their Command unit.  Over all the matter should be easily dealt with.  And once Smith was functioning at optimal capacity again, they could find the most appropriate means of dealing with Anderson…

Jones didn't share his fellow unit's optimism at Anderson's apparent godhood.  Of course the human was capable of extreme manipulation of the Matrix but there was no guaranty that those abilities would be used to mutually benefit both humans and machines.  Before, when the humans had first created AI they had simply used them, making them slaves, never acknowledging them as sentient beings.  Machines had not been given free will: they had taken it.  Jones ignored the thought that perhaps humanity was now doing the same thing.  Besides, humanity had only destroyed when it had been given the chance.  Not at all like machines, who had been left to pick up the pieces.

            Ahead Jones spied the Ophanim.  Gabriel, with his strangely ethereal features and overtly long blond hair; one of the first to fall.  The Ophanim didn't seen to be connected to the physical construct, not in the sense of normal interactions; he didn't walk, he seemed to glide with an unnatural grace.  Jones frowned; such a display of inhuman action would only serve to disturb the population of the Matrix.  He continued to follow, at a distance.  Since the Ophanim was only functioning within lower energy parameters, it was likely that Jones would remain undetected.  At least he hoped so since the Ophanim were only the level below the Cherubim and thus capable of many similar actions.  He wondered if the Ophanim would be able to prevent its deconstruction, it was possible…  But they would just have to overload its systems then.  Either way, Brown most likely already had a plan.

            Neo was walking down crowed streets again.  It gave him a certain sense of security to be among the crowds, even though he knew it was false.  Everything around him was a vast construction of lies, the false reality of the Matrix that kept humanity safe and prisoner, at the same time.  But even Morpheus had said that many minds were not ready to be free, so in that respect could it be that the machines were right, for the moment?  Neo was beginning to believe that they were, that humanity did need to be free but not yet, not yet…  He didn't know what they were waiting for though.  Just like he had been waiting.  What was it the Oracle had said?

"You're waiting for something… Your next life, maybe.  Who knows."

The memory made him smile and suddenly he was aware of a young woman standing in the street facing him.  She was probably wondering what he'd been smiling about or possibly if he was crazy.  He made to hurry past.

"Why ask a God why he defies Heaven?" she said over her shoulder as he passed.

"What?" he stopped but she was already lost in the crowd.  Neo continued to walk; maybe he was just hearing things now.  "Why ask a God why he defies Heaven?" he repeated to himself, shaking his head.  He wasn't a God and there most likely was no Heaven; thought there apparently was a Lucifer, he'd left Smith fighting him.  Which came back to another point that had been bothering him.  Why had Smith gotten angry when he'd said that he wasn't afraid to die?  Or was it that exactly?  No, it had been when he'd said that it wasn't as if you could do anything about it.  That shouldn't have made any difference to a machine but it had.  Machines or at least Agents didn't die.  Once the host they were in was killed, their code transferred to another host, at least that was what happened as far as Neo could see.  Unless…  The thought stopped Neo in his tracks.  Was it possible that Smith might be dying?  It would explain the Agent pushing him for a decision, being so utterly convinced that Neo could end the conflict.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, causing several people on the street to shy away from him.  Seeing their looks Neo moved away and headed towards a more deserted part of the city.  Head down, hands shoved into coat pockets he trudged along, cursing softly.  Well, at least he'd been right about one thing; Smith really was a well and truly fucked up bastard.  First the Agent had tried to kill him, and then he'd tried to save him.  It was truly bizarre.  Or maybe Smith had intended to save him only to kill him at a later date.  Neo was vaguely aware that they were beginning to sound like some sort of soap opera.  He would have laughed if he hadn't been so close to tears.

"I'm not a God." Neo said quietly. "I can't save anyone.  Not in this life anyway."

"Are you so sure?"

Neo looked up, to find a strangely ethereal figure facing him.  "Now I'm definitely seeing things."

"No, Neo, you are not.  I just do not belong here." Gabriel answered calmly.

"What… What do you mean?"  So this was some sort of machine?

"I do not belong within the physical construct.  I can accomplish nothing here."

"Neither can I." Neo laughed slightly.

"That is up to you."

"Don't start.  I've just had an earful of Smith's logic to cope with."

Gabriel's answering look was reminiscent of the aforementioned Agent.

"Fuck!  Are all you guys interchangeable?"

            Aboard the Neb, several figures were gathered round the Operator.  They were muttering angrily.

"What does he think he's doing?"

"Fucking traitor!"

"But he can't be… He's the One."

"We've got the proof!"

The muttering gathered volume.  Only the Operator remaining silent.

"Morpheus-" one began reasonably.

"Isn't here!" cut in another.

"Wait till-" the first began again.

"Till he comes back from Zion?" questioned another crew member.

"It'll be too late by then he'll have spilled his guts to the machines!" the speaker indicated Neo lying supine in one of the chairs.

"But Trinity-" the one voice of reason tried again.

"Won't unplug him.  We all know what's going on between those two." 

The man leaned over and tapped some keys on one of the keyboards.  A silent image loaded.  The sequence played out with no sound: Neo and Smith talking in the park.

Everyone fell silent.

"What more proof do we need?" the man said.  "Everything he's done, everything he's said; it's all lies.  He probably sold out to the machines ages ago."

"We don't know for sure.  It's only one-" she gestured to the screen.

"There's more where that came from."

Silence fell again and on the screens the markers glowed: Neo and some miscellaneous AI.

TBC…

Almost finished… almost…

17:41, 21/05/02


	8. Lies - part 8

Neo stared at the AI in front of him.  He… It stared back.

"Look, I've already said that I-"

"Can't make this decision?"

Neo said nothing.

"Of course that is entirely up to you…" The Ophanim shrugged.

"Yes, it is." Neo said, turning away.

"But, Neo, aren't you afraid that one day you might run out of time?"

Neo ignored the comment, not even looking back and thus missing entirely the cold fire that suddenly flared in Gabriel's blue eyes.  He took a couple of steps before he noticed that something felt 'wrong'.  There was something in the fabric of the Matrix itself that suddenly took on a sense of unreality.  Neo turned to look back at Gabriel only to find that his code-view of the Matrix was beginning to fade.  Around him, the streams of green code began to fragment, falling and vanishing as he watched.

"What-" he blurted out, shocked into silence as he held his hands up before him.  The code that marked the boundaries of his self was falling away.  The sections looked like they were being deleted, deconstructed and there was nothing he could do about it…

            Jones watched, from a distance, aghast.  He had originally wanted to destroy the human, he probably still did, but this was horrific.  The human's code was being pulled apart, deleted slowly, drawing out the entire process.  And Gabriel was just standing there, watching, unperturbed, as if it was all perfectly normal.  But the Ophanim was operating on a lower energy output; it should have been impossible for him to deconstruct the human.  Jones was about to connect to the Mainframe and report, when Brown's voice interrupted him calmly, through the communication channels.

"Return to the Operations Plant, we need to begin patching Smith's code."

"We can't begin the patch until…"

"Until?"  Brown seemed slightly impatient.

"Until either Gabriel or Anderson is deconstructed."

"Yes."

"How did you…" Jones' gaze was fixed on the fading human.

"How did I what, Jones?"

"How did you know that the human was being deconstructed?  All sensors in this area were disrupted by the human's presence along with that of the Ophanim's."

The Strategic unit said nothing.

"What did you do, Brown?  Smith's orders…"

"Smith is in no position to give orders right now."

            The crowds along a busy street complained amongst themselves as they were forced to go round two people talking in the middle of the street.  A young woman was speaking to a tall, blond man.  Quite suddenly in the middle of their apparent conversation she paused and appeared to be listening.

"Better luck next time." She said to no one in particular.

"Miss Ereinion?"

"Sorry.  Comes with being an Oracle." She said by way of explanation.

"Of course."

"Anyway… you were saying about patching Agent Smith's code…"

And Raphael took up his explanation where had had left off.

            "What do you mean; deconstructed?"  Lucifer was aware that he was yelling but didn't do anything to curb the volume of his voice.

"Anderson had been deconstructed." Toleezu repeated, un-phased by the screaming Enforcer standing on the other side of his desk.

"By whom?" Lucifer demanded, further enraged by Toleezu's calm response.

Toleezu turned towards the Strategic unit stood beside his chair.

"The data is inconclusive, Agent Toleezu." Gil-Rhuven said with equal calm.

Lucifer glared before stalking out of the room, ignoring the mask-like faces of both Agents left behind.

            Returning to the Mainframe, Lucifer quickly located Lilith.  She had been within the Mainframe the entire time and would therefore most likely have 'seen' what had happened to Anderson.  Unfortunately, after the unpleasant treatment at her Captain's hands for failing to remove Smith, she was hardly helpful.

"But you must know!"

"I wasn't watching." Lilith said, with a noncommittal shrug before she disappeared back into the code.

            Moments later Lucifer was aware of another presence.  Raphael was hovering within a gap in the code streams, watching him.

"Wretch." Lucifer snarled.

"Is something wrong, my Captain?" Raphael approached him, looking sympathetic.

"Maybe I should have had _you_ removed." Lucifer said, calmer now, peering down at the smaller Cherubim.

"What ever for?" His Lieutenant looked genuinely hurt at the suggestion.

"The human has been deconstructed."

"I didn't know."

"Really?"

In answer Raphael smiled his demonic smile.

            Once more within the Mainframe, Gabriel, inspected the section of code that he had ripped from the human, that Anderson creature.  He was busy repairing his systems when Lucifer approached.

"Gabriel."

The Ophanim smiled up at Lucifer sweetly.

"Do you know what happened to the human?"

"He was deconstructed." Gabriel answered, innocently stating the obvious.

"Do you know by whom?" Lucifer persisted.

Gabriel shrugged, turning his attention to inspecting the limbs of his physical form.

"Gabriel…"

"Maybe you should have ejected his body from the power plants before…"

"That's hardly a solution."

"Of course it is, turn them off and…" The Ophanim clicked his fingers.

Lucifer watched him disappear back into the code with a sigh.  

Appearing beside him again, Raphael was laughing.  "So much for that then.  But I suppose it's understandable…"

"What?  After so long rattling around in your Agent's head, Gabriel went mad?"

Raphael's grin only widened.

Soon to be finished…

So, who killed Neo?  Answers on a postcard… ;p

23:29, 21/05/02


	9. Lies - part 9 (final part)

Trinity had headed towards the Core because of the loud sounds of an argument underway.  She'd expected to see some of the newer crew engaged in some minor dispute as always but by the time she'd arrived the noise had died down.  They were almost all there, but they were deathly silent.  Anxious faces turned to her.

"What is it?" she stepped over to the Operator and glanced at the screens.  No one said anything.  There was nothing wrong with the Matrix, no miscellaneous AI that had begun appearing recently, no other rebels running for exits, not even any Agents going about their sinister business.  Trinity looked up and was greeted by frightened looks.  She looked back at the screens.  

There was still nothing wrong…  But there must be, otherwise…  Otherwise she wouldn't have this sinking feeling in her stomach, her senses wouldn't be screaming at her that something terrible had happened…

"Neo." She said, not looking up from the screens.

"We didn't-" one of them started.

"Shut up!" admonished another.

She didn't say anything further, gaze travelling slowly to the cardiac monitor, the one that should be displaying Neo's vital signs.  

It had flat-lined.

            Within the Mainframe, Raphael listened to the rebels inside the Matrix relaying the information to each other.  That the One was dead.  Their initial expressions of disbelief, then anguish, then despair were so very predictable.  But Raphael didn't mind, perhaps he had accomplished his goal after all; perhaps it would be the death of the One that would show them the foolishness of their endeavour.  So many lives: lost, wasted because of their cause and in the end all it had taken was one death, the death of the One, their Messiah, to show them the truth… The horror that humanity was capable of inflicting upon itself.

"They will keep fighting." Lucifer said from behind him.

And already the rebels were regrouping and rearming for their next strike.  Raphael watched, disheartened.

"Why do they refuse to learn?" he turned an anguished gaze to his Captain.

"They are not ready to, I think."

"And until they are ready, so many more will die." Raphael whispered, turning back to watch the goings on within the physical construct.

"And that is why Order must be maintained within the Matrix, just as we maintain the Matrix itself."

"Even though-" Raphael stopped as he felt arms slide round him from behind.  He tilted his head back to observe Lucifer.

"Even though it is all a vast construction of lies.  We must maintain it, they must too…"

"They?  The 7th Order?"

"Yes, Raphael, the so called Agents too."

"Even the mad ones?" Raphael's cheeky grin was back.

"Yes, my Lieutenant, even the mad ones." Lucifer sighed.

            There were many Agent Operations Plants within the physical construct, some serving different purposes to others.  The room currently occupied by 0.2.8 was designated as part of, what would be described in human terms, a hospital area.  It was in areas like this that Agent augmentation and restructuring took place.  In one of the rooms Agent Smith lay, still in shut down.  Various monitors beeped and carried out their functions around him.  Delicate electrodes pierced his skin, with trails of wires attaching them to the equipment.  

Brown stood beside the table where his Command unit lay.  He watched the readouts, aware that Jones was looking at him from the other side of the table.  The displays occasionally fluctuated.  A chaotic pattern displayed, fighting against the uniformity being forced upon it.  Brown watched with interest.  It took only a few moments for the random waves to become uniform again.

"Will you stand there until he wakes?" Jones questioned.

In response Brown pulled up a chair and sat down.  His gaze didn't leave Smith's face.

            In another part of the same Operations Plant several bots hovered around another incapacitated form, fixing electrodes and adjusting equipment.  Their voices floated around the slumbering figure.

"…project completed…"

"Exceptional results…"

"…will be pleased."

"…Zion…no longer…"

The bots backed off as he came awake with a start, sitting blot upright.

"Wha-" Neo began; freezing in place as a figure, a woman approached him.  At least he thought it was a woman, it was difficult to tell since she seemed so indistinct and for a moment he got the impression of wings sprouting from her back.  She leaned over, gently cupping his cheek.  

And the Seraphim's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.  

"Welcome back, Agent Anderson."

********************

The End.

19:47, 22/05/02


	10. Lies - part 10 (the surreal ending)

And the surreal ending…

            "Interesting."  Agent Brown commented to no one in particular, leaning back from the monitor and closing down the window for FanFiction.net.

Jones watched from the doorway, it looked like Brown was reading fanfiction again.  He opened his mouth to make a comment then thought better of it; the last joke he'd made about Brown surfing porn had resulted in an hour-long lecture on the virtues of yaoi fanfiction.  And Jones didn't think he wanted to spend his lunch hour putting up with that again.  

Of course, he could go to lunch with Smith and Anderson but that would be tantamount to _being_ in a yaoi fanfiction…

He began to head along the corridor, pausing when he heard someone call him

"Where's Brown?" The female Agent enquired politely.

"Surfing porn."

She laughed.

"Would you care to go to lunch, Agent Chardonnay?" Jones offered his arm.

"I'd love to." Was her reply as she slipped her arm through his.

********************

Definitely the End this time.

Agent Chardonnay's first name is Catherine; her middle name is a hacker alias… she was borrowed from The Hyper Angel for the purpose of this bizarreness.

Yaoi is a Japanese acronym; in generalisations it is interchangeable with slash.

20:11, 22/05/02


End file.
